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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 13th, 2023–Apr 14th, 2023

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Crowsnest North, Crowsnest South.

Watch for unstable snow on isolated features: windslabs in the high alpine, and loose wet avalanches on steep slopes that face the sun.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported before 5 pm on Thursday.

On Tuesday, field teams reported observing a number of large (size 2) wet loose avalanches that started in steeper terrain and ran down onto 30 degree slopes but not running full path.

If you have any observations from this region, let us know what you are seeing by submitting a report to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

In the alpine and around treeline, 5-10 cm of new snow covers a frozen crust, with moist snow below.

The mid snowpack is generally settled and strong at treeline and above.

A melt-freeze crust that was buried in mid January can be found 60 to 100 cm below the snow surface.

A weak layer of large, sugary crystals persists at the base of the snowpack. This layer has not produced recent avalanche activity in this area, but professionals continue to monitor for signs of it becoming active.

Weather Summary

Unsettled and convective weather could bring brief but intense periods of snowfall. Pinpointing these localized events creates a high level of uncertainty with this weather forecast. Prepare to continually evaluate the conditions, and change plans as necessary.

Thursday Night

Mix of clear and cloudy. 2 cm of snow expected. Freezing level at valley bottom. Treeline low around -6°C. Light southwest ridgetop wind.

Friday

Cloudy in the morning, mostly sunny in the afternoon. No new snow expected. Freezing level rising to 1800m. Treeline high around -2°C. Light southwest ridgetop wind, possibly moderate in the high alpine.

Saturday

Mostly sunny. Freezing level at valley bottom overnight, rising to 2200m. Light southwest ridgetop wind, trending to moderate in the high alpine.

Sunday

Partly cloudy. Possible trace of snow in the alpine. Rain below 2000 m. Light southwest ridgetop wind, trending to moderate in the high alpine.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Use caution above cliffs and terrain traps where even small avalanches may have severe consequences.
  • Watch for unstable snow on specific terrain features, especially when the snow is moist or wet.
  • Be alert to conditions that change with aspect and elevation.
  • Be alert to conditions that change throughout the day.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.